S7 E5: Keweenaw’s Legendary Snowfall: Winter Recreation and Traditions in the Upper Peninsula’s S...

Описание: While some parts of the country can count on crocus and daffodils to signal spring in March, Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula is still measuring snowbanks. Over 300” has fallen across the region and more is expected, possibly into May. From the looks of future forecasts, the area is sure to surpass last year’s total of 315.25” and may be on track for the all-time high of 390.4” set back in the winter of 1978-79. What do you do with over 32’ of snow in a season? In this episode of the Lake Superior Podcast, Walt Lindala and Frida Waara talk with Jesse Wiederhold, Managing Director of Visit Keweenaw, about what makes this area of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula such a mecca for snow lovers and tips on how they survive cabin fever.






5 Key Takeaways 

1. Extraordinary Snowfall Totals In The Keweenaw Peninsula: Jesse Wiederhold says the Keweenaw had already passed 200 inches of snowfall by early January and notes that the historical snowfall record in Keweenaw County is about 390 inches in a single season recorded in the late 1970s. 
2. Lake Superior Drives The Region’s Heavy Snowfall: Wiederhold explains that Lake Superior acts as a “snow machine,” producing lake-effect snow because the Keweenaw Peninsula is surrounded by the lake on multiple sides. 
3. Winter Recreation Draws Visitors To The Keweenaw: Visitors come to the region for winter activities including skiing, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snow biking, with ski areas such as Mount Ripley and Mount Bohemia operating during the winter season and drawing large numbers of visitors, including days when more than a thousand people ski at Mount Bohemia. 
4. Groomed Trail Systems Support Winter Sports In The Region: Wiederhold highlights several groomed trail networks located within about a 30-minute radius of Houghton and Hancock, including the Michigan Tech trails in Houghton, the Maasto Hiihto and Churning Rapids trails in Hancock, the Swedetown trails in Calumet, and the East Bluff trails in Copper Harbor. 
5. Finnish Heritage And Sauna Culture Remain Strong In The Keweenaw: Wiederhold notes that about one in three people in Houghton County are Finnish and explains that sauna culture remains an important part of local life, with both home saunas and public sauna experiences such as those at Mount Bohemia and Taka Saunas available in the region.





Helpful Links:

• Visit Keweenaw – https://visitkeweenaw.com
• Mount Bohemia – https://mtbohemia.com
• CopperDog 150 – https://copperdog.org
• Michigan Tech Trails – https://www.mtu.edu/recreation/outdoo...





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